What Is Better To Choose A Cork Or Laminate On The Floor In An Apartment

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

Cork covering
Choosing a cork floor for different rooms
Cork variety
Laminate
Conclusion
Video on choosing a cork floor for a room

Today, manufacturers have filled the market with various materials that are used as flooring. A large selection complicates the choice of flooring somewhat. Many people ask themselves the question: cork floor or laminate - which is better to choose? To make the right choice, you need to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of materials. Based on the information received, you can make an analysis and find out what is best to use in a particular room at home.

Cork covering

The cork floor has the following advantages:

environmental friendliness;
safety;
pleasant to the touch;
ease of installation;
the ability to use for finishing not only the floor, but also the walls.

Of course, cork is an environmentally friendly material. The material is made from suberin. For production, a layer of bark is used, which is specially grown for this purpose. During the production process, raw materials are dried, crushed and pressed. The cork is soft to the touch. This makes cork flooring in the nursery the ideal solution. In addition, the material can be used in the bedroom and other areas of the house.

The cork floor is warm. This makes it very pleasant to walk on it. If we talk about elasticity, then the material does not deform under the weight of bulky items. Of course, this only happens with short-term contact. As for the installation of the material, it can be easily done by hand. The plates have a locking mechanism. The fit can be easily adjusted using even regular scissors. And this even though the top layer of the varnish has a high strength.

Choosing a cork floor for different rooms

Of course, like other materials, cork has some drawbacks. What are the disadvantages of cork floors:

The first disadvantage is the material's susceptibility to mechanical damage. As a result of improper installation or mechanical stress, the plates may break. It is almost impossible to hide such a defect. In the places of the fracture, the material darkens and begins to crumble. The only way out is to replace the entire sheet.
High moisture absorption. Given this disadvantage, it is undesirable to install the plug in the bathroom, where high humidity reigns. When wet, the material loses its strength and begins to deteriorate. This means that cork floors for kitchens and bathrooms are not the best option.
Price. The cost of the plug is at a very high level. This is due to the fact that the material is made from natural raw materials, which are very difficult to get. Also, the cost of a cork is influenced by its class and production quality.

The main advantages and disadvantages of cork are now known. So, you can easily decide how to choose a cork floor for an apartment. It remains only to consider the technical characteristics of the laminate. By comparing all the information, it will be possible to find out what is best for finishing a particular room in the house: cork floor or laminate.

Cork variety

There are various types of cork flooring on the construction market. Each of these types has its own characteristics. So, cork floor types:

Liquid coating. The material is applied as a paintwork. After drying, it acquires the properties of a regular cork. The shade of the floor can be changed with regular paint.
Spray coating. Applied with a compressor or a gun. The thickness of the sprayed layer is no more than 6 mm. As the reviews on cork floors in the apartment show, this installation method is very simple and affordable.
Adhesive coating. Plates are held together with special glue.
Castle covering. It is mounted like a laminate. Fastening is carried out using special locks.
Technical coverage. Often used as a base coat.

With this information, you can choose a cork floor that will perfectly suit all your needs and wishes.

Laminate

There is a wide variety of laminates on the market today that can be used to decorate your home floor. Various raw materials are used for its production. But, in order to evaluate its relevance for the decoration of a particular room, it is necessary to carefully consider all the advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of laminate flooring include:

Unique shape that greatly simplifies installation. It is very easy to install a floor from such material. Each board is the same size. To install the flooring, the first strip of the laminate must be properly installed. When buying, special attention is paid to the quality of the locking system. Any deformations in this area will make installation difficult.
Water resistance. Laminate is able to resist moisture. Of course, you shouldn't check this quality in practice. Experts recommend to be careful with the floor covering. For finishing the bathroom and kitchen, you can use a moisture-resistant material, which was specially treated during the production process.
Heat resistance. Laminate is able to withstand short-term exposure to high temperatures. So, if a match falls on it or an iron is placed, then there will be no trace left on it. When using the "warm floor" system, the heat resistance of the material is significantly increased.
Resistance to mechanical damage. Compared to cork, laminate is able to withstand the pressure from the heels. For severe loads, deformations may occur.
Anti-static. Thanks to this property, the flooring will not attract dust.
Resistant to fading and stains. Even under the influence of direct sunlight, the laminate retains its color. Stains are not absorbed, making cleaning the floor much easier.

Thanks to such numerous advantages, laminate is widely used for flooring in the living room, bedroom and even the kitchen. But, like cork, this flooring has some disadvantages. These include:

the risk of acquiring a fake of low quality;
price.

Today, many manufacturers supply a wide range of laminates to the market. Unfortunately, not all companies produce quality material. In addition, there are manufacturers who issue low-quality laminate flooring for the products of well-known companies. As for the cost of the laminate, it depends on many factors.

Conclusion

What to choose: cork or laminate ? As you can see, laminate and cork are somewhat similar to each other. This is especially true for aesthetics and ease of installation. But, if there are technical characteristics that distinguish the material from another, especially when it comes to finishing a certain room. So, laminate flooring can be used for finishing the bathroom floor. The cork can collapse when wet.

Thanks to the cork covering, you can significantly diversify the interior.

When choosing a floor covering, it is worth considering the characteristics of the room. Thanks to this, it will be possible to choose the best option. When it comes to cost, sometimes it’s better to shell out a little more than you bargained for and get a high quality, durable flooring. Laminate and cork have a slight price difference. Therefore, when choosing a material, you must first take into account the purpose of the room.